Life, Writing And The Joys Of Retirement

April 23, 2012 — pittsburghflashfictiongazette

The Old Soldier took early retirement when he was 62, mainly because after getting his MFA in fiction writing from the University of Pittsburgh in 2006 he could not find a decent job.  By decent, I mean a job that paid my bills.

So, I took early retirement in 2009 and told the working world to kiss my ass.

I’m sorry.  That last sentence makes the Old Soldier seem bitter.

Retirement

Retirement (Photo credit: Tax Credits)

But it has only been this year after I started getting my military pension to add to my social security and my pension from Giant Eagle that I could begin to enjoy retirement.

Yes, it always comes back to money.  Money and health.

Last Friday night, as I stood at the bar at Del’s and waited for karaoke to begin (it began after the Penguins and Flyers hockey game was over: 10:30 pm) I got a chance to talk to a guy named Mike.  He was 47.  He and I were two of the oldest people in the place.  Most of the customers were in their 20s.  Mike had a date: Stephanie who was older than Mike.  (She did not like the fact that he told me that).

Some Of My Old Amateur Photography

But he and I got to talking.  I told him, jokingly, that I wished I was taller (I’m 5,8 or 5,9), better looking (I’m okay looking) and richer.

He said he just wanted to be richer.  He then said health and wealth is what it’s all about.  And he said he had his health and he was happy.

Well, I’ve got my health.  And instead of living in poverty I now live a comfortable lower-income life style.  I’ve got the Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette to keep me busy and karaoke to keep me happy.

The Old Soldier realizes just how luck he is.

Keep reading and keep writing that flash fiction.

*****

Read.  Study.  Write.  Submit.

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Senior Citizen, Is Your Rent Rebate Request In The Mail?

April 18, 2012 — pittsburghflashfictiongazette

Are you a senior citizen?  The Old Soldier is a senior citizen.  And finally today, I got my Pennsylvania Property Tax or Rent Rebate Program form in the mail.  I am eligible for $650.  Home owners can get a rebate, too.

Now you have to be at least 65 years old.

You can pick up a form at a Senior Citizens Center or at your public library.  The form has to be recieved by the State of Pennsylvania by June 1, 2012.  The money will be dispersed on July 1, 2012.  The form is pretty simple to fill out.

Senior Citizens Party

Senior Citizens Party (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

So, get busy.  And if you are eligible for a rebate for the year 2011, you will probably be eligible for several more years.

The Old Soldier is going to use his rebate to pay off his back rent (I’m always running one month behind) which means I will no longer have to pay a $50 penalty for being late with my rent every month.

Filing for your rent rebate is worth it.

*****

How’s everyone doing?

The Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette is still at #4 on Google for the search term “flash fiction”.

It’s around 6:00 pm on a sunny, mild (66) day in Pittsburgh.  I’ve got a six-pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer and I’m about to enjoy the evening news on public televison.

Keep reading and keep writing that flash fiction.

*****

Read.  Study.  Write.  Submit.

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Free Bus Passes For Senior Citizens

April 11, 2012 — pittsburghflashfictiongazette

The reason I call myself the Old Soldier is because I served in Vietnam with the 1st Cav and I’m 65.  That makes the Old Soldier a senior citizen.  Now a lot of us senior citizens live on a small, fixed budget.  I sure as hell do.  So, we must figure out ways to stretch our money.

If you live in the Sate of Pennsylvania and you are at least 65 years old, you are eligible for a free bus pass.  A few minutes ago I called customer service for the Port Authority for Allegheny County (412-442-2000) and was told I could pick up my free bus pass at their office downtown or at any Senior Citizen Center.  I just needed ID.

You can’t beat that with a stick!

So, if you are at least 65 years old call the office of your public bus transportation and see where you can pick up your free bus pass.  Then any time you ride the bus just show your senior citizen bus pass and you ride the bus for free.  The PA Lottery pays for the bus pass.

And don’t forget to pick up a copy of the Pennsylvania Property Tax or Rent Rebate Program to see if you quality for a rebate.  You can pick up the form at a Senior Citizens Center or your local public library may have it.  It has to be in by June 1, 2012.

*****

Description: Troops of Co C, 1st Bn, 50th Inf ...

Description: Troops of Co C, 1st Bn, 50th Inf (Mech), 1st Cav Div (Airmobile) unload from CH-47 helicopter at Landing Zone Quick to begin a search and destroy mission in the Cay Giep Mountains, 29-30 Oct 1967. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Yes siree, the Old Soldier doesn’t have to walk back and forth at night to Friday karaoke anymore.  It’s only a 15-minute walk, but it’s at night and you have to be security conscious.

*****

How’s everyone doing?

Well, I’ve done my breathing and stretcing exercises, had a hot shower and half a cup of raisin bran with skim milk.  This is my second post of the day and it’s not even noon yet.  The Old Soldier is hitting on all six cylinders.  Now the Old Soldier is going to get himself a six-pack of beer.

Keep reading and keep writing that flash fiction.

*****

Read.  Study.  Write.  Submit.

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Alcohol: The Confessions Of A Flash Fiction Writer

March 27, 2012 — pittsburghflashfictiongazette

April is only a few days away.  This means the Old Soldier will get another chance to live within his means.

Yes, I’m a flash fiction writer.  I’m also a senior citizen on a modest, fixed income.  I’ve always been working class.  So my Social Security check is working class; but with my military pension and my pension from Giant Eagle, I have enough money to live a relatively carefree life if I don’t squander my limited funds. 

How do I squander my limited funds?

Well, the Old Soldier loves to hang out in bars and he loves to drink beer even when he is not in a bar.  That usually means I’m broke by the end of the month.  Still, one week of enforced sobriety (like this week) is not such a bad thing, either.  I just don’t like what my inability to make my money last all month says about my self-discipline.  A writer ain’t shit without self-discipline.

And the beat goes on.

*****

The Frick Fine Arts Building of the University...

The Frick Fine Arts Building of the University of Pittsburgh. photo by Michael G White (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It’s around 4:00 pm (I actually wrote this Monday but I’m posting it at 2:00 am Tuesday) on a sunny, cool (40s) afternoon in Pittsburgh.  I just came back from a nice walk around my neighborhood, Oakland.

It’s a wonderful neighborhood.  It’s the home of the main campus of the University of Pittsburgh.  There were a lot of students walking around with backpacks, wearing their Pitt sweatshirts.

On a spring day like today, the Old Soldier feels healthy, virtuous and young again.

*****

Read.  Study.  Write.  Submit.

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Retirement, A Nude Woman And Beautiful Weather In Pittsburgh

March 7, 2012 — pittsburghflashfictiongazette

I wrote this post in my little pocket notebook around 11:00 am while I sat at the bar in Armand’s in Bloomfield (Little Italy) while sipping on a draft beer.  Armand’s is about a 15-minute walk from my apartment.

The day beyond the window is beautiful.  The sun is shinning and it’s around 65 degrees outside.

I’m enjoying my retirement now that I have financial stability; but because my stable income is still small the challenge is to live within a budget which I still have to prove that I can do. 

The other challenge of retirement is to give structure to your life.  When you don’t have to be anywhere you have to find reasons to get up for in the morning.

English: A glass of draft Bintang Beer, Jakart...

Image via Wikipedia

Being the editor/publisher of the Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette is one of the reasons why I have to get up in the morning.  I’m constantly promoting this publication online and in real life.  I’m constantly searching for writing talent online and in real life to showcase in the magazine.  Yesterday, I gave an online interview to another respected flash fiction publication about flash fiction; and I’m constantly trying to come up with ideas for posts and for new ways to get the word out about flash fiction.

And there is my work as a performance artist: karaoke.

*****

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The 2011 PA Rent Rebate Forms Are In

February 23, 2012 — pittsburghflashfictiongazette

Hello all you senior citizens out there.  It’s the Old Soldier here with a report from the senior citizens frontline. 

Recently, I was talking to a young man at Sonny’s Tavern about this blog and the young man said to me that once a senior citizen got one look at all the naked women on this blog and how much text there is about sex, that senior citizen would click onto something else quick, fast and in a hurry.

He’s probably right.

And that’s a shame because the Old Soldier is a senior citizen and he reports on things that are of interest to other senior citizens.

For instance: I picked up the 2011 Pennsylvania Property Tax or Rent Rebate Program just a little while ago; but I didn’t get the form at a Senior Citizens Center.  The center that I went to had not gotten their forms yet.  The people at the center suggested that I try the public library right next door.

I did and the public library had the form with all of the other tax forms.  I’ll be filling out the form in a few days.

I really can’t be the only senior citizen who likes to look at youthful, naked women or who likes to read and write about sex. 

Can I?

This is the Old Soldier reporting from Pittsburgh, PA.

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Life: Time For The Long Walk

February 23, 2012 — pittsburghflashfictiongazette

This Is The Old Soldier 8 Years Ago When He Was A Graduate Student At The University Of Pittsburgh

It’s around 10:30 AM, time for me to walk to the Senior Citizens Center to get the form I need to fill out for a rent rebate.  The sun is bright and it’s a mild 40-something degrees outside.

I got my extra virgin olive oil, but I’ll have my fish fry when I get back.  Walking is very much part of my excercise routine.  The Old Soldier did his breathing and stretching exercises this morning, but there won’t be any karaoke this Friday.  I’ve been spending too freely, still celebrating my new-found stable but small income based on Social Security, a pension from the Veterans Administration and a small pension from Giant Eagle.

So, I’m going to put this post up and I’ll see you when I get back.

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Senior Citizens: Suggestions For Saving Money

February 4, 2012 — pittsburghflashfictiongazette
English: This is my own work, Public Domain Ph...

Image via Wikipedia

Now that the Old Soldier has working-class financial stability, the next step is be smart about his stable but limited income.  Here are some things I plan to do and that may give you some ideas about getting the most out of your income if you are a senior citizen on a very limited income like me.

In the State of Pennsylvania, if you are at least 65 years old (like me) and within a certain income range you are eligible for a one month rent re-bate (homeowners are eligible, too).  One of the places to get the necessary form to apply for this rebate is at a Senior Citizens Center.

Even though I no longer worry about losing my apartment, I’m still always one month behind in my rent.  I pay a $50 penalty every month.  The rent rebate form for 2011 (when I turned 65) will be available some time this month.

As soon as I get my rebate I’ll catch my rent up and I won’t have to pay that $50 penalty as long as I pay my rent on time.

*****

Česky: Toaletní papír English: Toilet paper Es...

Image via Wikipedia

If you are at least 65 years old in Pennsylvania you can ride the bus system for free.  Just take the proper documentation to the nearest public transportation office.

That’s something that I have to do.

*****

Finally, buy in bulk whenever you can.  A roll of toilet paper may cost $1.10; but a twelve pack of toilet paper may cost you only $8.00 or $9.00.

This is the Old Soldier living off of Social Security and two pensions and enjoying his retirement, reporting from Pittsburgh.

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